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Letter from George Forrest, China Inland Mission, Talifu [Dali], to Isaac Bayley Balfour, 'Regius Keeper', Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, dated 5 January 1905.
Forrest describes sending Balfour 213 specimens via Cook and Son, Rangoon. He returned to Dali 10 days ago from second trip north. He is unable to go further than Chung Tien as the Atunze [Atuntze, now Tehtsin] pass is blocked by snow. Has taken notes on his journey from Chung Tien down the plateau to the Yangtze, to be incorporated into Mr Litton’s report to the Government. Asks again for names of three saxifrage specimens sent with his letter of 7 September. Leaves for Yunnanfu on Tuesday 10 [January] with Consul General Wilkinson to travel south to Mengtzu. On return, Forrest will go straight to Tsekou [Cigu] and work north and east from there for rest of the year. Mr Bulley wishes him to go into Lolo country which he will do if he can get two reliable Tibetans to act as guide and servant. Intends to work across from Atunze into an area blank on the map, intersected by rivers Yangtze, Li-tang and Ya-lung. ‘The great difficulty of course is the keeping clear of the lamasseries. This is Lolo country and it would …be no use taking Chinese …The hatred between them is intense. I would only be able to manage with Tibetans and these again are entirely under the thumb of the lamas.’
Plants referenced: Rhododendron; Saxifrage
The letter is fire damaged with some loss of text.

This is a small series of items relating to the section of Rhododendron giganteum - now named Rhododendron protistum found and collected by George Forrest and his collectors in Yunnan, China on the 15th March 1931. The series consists of the specimen itself, and two of its museum labels.
For more information: (right click, open link in new tab) https://stories.rbge.org.uk/archives/14186

Letter in form of diary from George Forrest to Clementina Traill describing his journey from Bhamo to Teng Yueh [Tengchong], 13 July to 12 August 1904. Itinerary included Momauk, Namtubbi river, Kalichet, Khulongkha, Mamkha Kha, Namkhokha, Khulikha, Nam Sa Ho, Man Hsien, Lung Chang Kai, Chin Cheng, Lang Kwu Kwsi, Teng Yueh. 13-14 July – Difficulties with muleteers unwilling to set out in rain; encounter with whip snakes; cane huts at Momauk; insanitary conditions; rampant cholera; fireflies. 15 July – Description of scenery; sketch of mule panniers and box saddle. 16 July – Magnificent scenery but very dangerous steep road. Two ground orchids gathered at elevation of c.4,500 feet but unable to dry and press them owing to damp. 17 July – Long day in blazing sun and moist heat; jungle swarming with monkeys. 18 July – Heavy rain, river too full to cross; return to camp. 19 July – Soaking rain; wishes he had taken advice to postpone journey for a month. 20 July – Arrival at Chinese border; description of dress and weapons of frontier guards. Unable to cross river at Nam Sa Ho; building of bridge by 50 coolies; visit from local headmen and description of their dress. 25 July – Bad roads on way to Man Hsien; passed through village bazaar where ‘the filth and stench are completely beyond my powers of description’. 26 July – Description of rice terraces, villages, their houses and layout; slept overnight in temple. 27 July – Awakened around 4am by priest beating a tom-tom and ringing a bell; burning of joss sticks; people arriving to say prayers while Forrest was dressing and having breakfast. 30 July – His first meal of real Chinese food, heavily soaked in pork fat; kept awake by a theatrical performance ‘a sort of marionette show, with the shadows of the figures being cast on a screen … In fact a sort of glorified Punch and Judy business.’ 1 August – Men refuse to budge, owing to rain. Regrets missing Mr Litton, the Honorary Consul, who passed through very early en route to Man Hsien. 3 August – Arrival in Teng Yueh. 4-12 August –Resting in Teng Yueh. Hospitable reception by Mr Litton, Hon Cecil Napier, Chief Commissioner of Customs and his two assistants; description of the town and its market; although safe, it is always necessary to go armed and with an escort of Chinese soldiers ‘…the people in some quarters are very insulting still, although they are afraid to do much.’ Invited by Litton to go north with him to the borders of Tibet where the mountains range from 14,000 to 20,000 feet. No-one has worked so far north before and Forrest should get among the alpine plants.

Letter from George Forrest, China Inland Mission, Talifu [Dali], Yunnan, to Isaac Bayley Balfour, 'Regius Keeper', Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, dated 07 April 1905.
Forrest writes to apologise that he can only muster 105 specimens but promises he will have done better by his return to Talifu next January [1906]. By next mail will send two photographs of plants, one a primula and one a fumaria.
Plants referenced: Fumaria; Primula

Letter from George Forrest, China Inland Mission, Talifu [Dali], Yunnan, to Isaac Bayley Balfour, 'Regius Keeper', Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, dated 08 April 1905.
Forrest writes that he has despatched a parcel of 105 specimens. He apologises for haste but is joining a caravan of unladen mules which will take him to Tzekou [Cigu]. There is a brief description of a mixture of seeds, collected for him by a Tibetan soldier acting as his servant who ‘returned to camp in the evening with all the seeds he had collected stuck inside his tunic, and a hopeless mixture.’ He encloses two photographs, one of primula, the other of fumaria, with description of their provenance. The photographs are no longer with the letter.
Plants referenced: Acacia; Fumaria; Gentian; Orchid; Primula
The letter has been burnt, with some loss, but not affecting the text.

Letter from George Forrest, The Mission, Tsekou [Cigu], Tibet, to Isaac Bayley Balfour, Regius Keeper, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, dated 28 April 1905.
Forrest writes briefly to let Balfour know he has arrived safely in Tsekou after a 'terribly trying' journey during which he rowed with the people at Chien Chuan cho and then lost a mule in crossing the Wei Hsi; baggage carried by coolies (Lisaws) [Lissoos] through deep snow. Forrest reports news of a revolt by lamas who had raided Batang and Atunze, killing three French missionaries and a number of local Christian converts. Forrest found Tsekou to be practically in a state of siege with daily expectation of attack, there being around 3000 lamas at Atunze and 5000 at Batang. Forrest had secured over 100 species on the way but lost many more through damp.
There is slight burning at the base of the letter.

Letter from George Litton, H.M. Consul, Tengyueh, to Isaac Bayley Balfour at RBGE, dated 17 May 1905.
Litton writes that he is sending a case of botanical specimens at the request of Mr Forrest. Litton asks Balfour to forward a small packet of seeds to A.K. Bulley of Ness.
Letter has been scorched with very minor loss.

Transcribed copy of George Litton's, H.M. Consul, Tengyueh, letter to Isaac Bayley Balfour, dated 17 May 1905, alongside the copy of a letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, to A.K. Bulley at Ness, dated 21 June 1905, and written when Balfour sent Litton's letter to Bulley.
Copy has been made by Balfour's assistant Henry Hastings.
Letter has been scorched with some loss, although not of text.